Is there a graphics card slot in the Inspiron 3030

Yes, there is graphics slot in the Inspiron 3030 for video card.  Review the user manual for installation process

https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-us/inspiron-3030-desktop/inspiron_3030_mt_owners_manual/installing-the-graphics-card?guid=guid-bc15166a-4520-4c78-8ded-bd745e836c99&lang=en-us

Verify that your system was shipped with power supply option that can support discrete graphics card  https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-us/inspiron-3030-desktop/inspiron_3030_mt_owners_manual/power-ratings?guid=guid-75256e01-d28f-4ceb-8cf9-c6a6870a7aab&lang=en-us

Here is the tested and validated graphics cards options for Inspiron 3030  https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-us/inspiron-3030-desktop/inspiron_3030_mt_owners_manual/gpu%E2%80%94discrete?guid=guid-cf65231b-2026-4d7d-99bb-9f87072b6072&lang=en-us

for a modern mid range gpu you most likely need to upgrade to 300w or 460w Dell oem psu if you got the basic 180w psu now.

You have the tower and not the SFF?  If you have the 180w PSU few cards will work with it and not the 115w RTX 4060 which needs 1x12-pin connector.  You'd likely need the 460w PSU for that one.  300w PSU is fine for the RTX 3050.

A few cards that'll work with the 180w PSU:

1. GT 1030 GDDR5
2. GT 710
3. NVS 310

@bradthetechnut​ RTX3050 6G works fine with the 180W PSU. 

Another important thing is that 3050 6G is released in 2024, so it has the newest UEFI support, much better than old GPUs like GT 1030 or GT710 and NVS 310.

Better UEFI support means fewer compatibility issues. My 3030 is fine with 3050 6G, even with secure boot on.

We'll have to see how it does over time.  CPU has a base TDP of 65w and max turbo is 219w.  We're not sure what Dell was thinking there with the 180w PSU, unless they understated it   RTX 3050 = 70w.

@bradthetechnut​ 

What you said about 219W is the intel default setting. However, DELL is heavily locked in the TAU and PL2 of this 14700, which is much lower than the intel default. It has the most strict limit I have ever seen in an LGA1700 mobo. Besides this, Dell uses a Pentium BOXED level heatsink to suppress this 14700. Even if there is enough TDP setting in the BIOS, this heatsink will never let the CPU reach that TDP because the CPU will throttle before reaching the maximum TDP.

I can only see a max power of 120W. And the usual package power is way below 120W, usually at 80W. 

I have the 300 watt version so will it work with a normal rtx 3050 6gb and not the low profile version or do i need the low profile version?

for MT you do not have to order LP.  either full height or LP would fit.

@ZEDX3D​ You're not wrong about it usually running way low- mine usually clocks in between 20-60W in general. But when I ran a heavy CPU load to test, I got 170W. You definitely need the 300W for the 6 GB 3050. Teeeeechnically it could work with the 8 GB 3050, since that'd add up to 300W, but that's me and my anecdotal power evidence, so I wouldn't risk it.

@joshlamont​ Heavy FPU test can push the 14700 to a max 170W in this 3030.

However, in real-world applications, there is no scene where you can push the CPU to this power. So you don't need to over-panic about it.

Games are SSE-based, and even converting video on the CPU is not FPU-based. You have a media engine in both14700 and 3050 6G, which means you will never have a scene that can push the CPU to that much. 

I believe the only way to push the CPU to that heavy load is through Unreal Engine development, but you cannot use this kind of entry-level office PC for UE development.

Besides, you can permanently close all E-cores to lower the power and improve the gaming performance.

I have already tried the 300W PSU from eBay, which isn't compatible with this 3030. If you can find a compatible 300W/460W PSU, you will never need a 3050 6G. Just go with 4060/4060Ti. 

3050 6G is the solution for not upgrading the PSU.